


Let the Dragons Consume You

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: McHanzo [14]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Forgiveness, Friendship/Love, Guilt, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Self-Hatred, Self-Sacrifice, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-20 04:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16549181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Twice. Hanzo has nearly killed his brother twice with his Dragons, there cannot be a third time...there will not be a third time if he has anything to say about it, regardless of what it might cost him to keep that kind of power locked away.





	Let the Dragons Consume You

Genji was worried.

   It had been months since Hanzo had finally arrived at the Watchpoint, haggard after long days of travelling to reach them and sporting minor injuries after a brush with Talon who had somehow caught wind of his movements. He had been overjoyed to see his brother and hadn’t made any effort to hide it, or his relief that Hanzo had come after his poor reaction to his sudden appearance in their old home. He’d known that he was taking a risk reaching out to Hanzo after so long and especially with how he looked now, and after the way his brother had reacted to his presence he had half expected Hanzo to ignore his words and to continue with the lonely existence he had carved out for himself. It had been nice to be proven wrong.

    The others hadn’t been so welcoming, not that he could really blame them, especially those like McCree who had seen him at his worst after the fight that had left him in his current state. At the time he had ignored them, bounding forward to greet his brother. It had hurt to see how Hanzo had flinched away from the friendly greeting, and he hadn’t been able to forget how willing Hanzo had been to let him end things during their encounter in Hanamura, but he hadn’t said anything at the time, settling for holding his brother tighter and welcoming him home in a warm voice.

Maybe he should have said something…

   Contrary to his fears Hanzo had settled in relatively easily with their ragtag bunch. There were still days when he would slip back into old habits, withdrawing from everyone and everything and hiding himself away, usually in the practice range where Genji would watch from the shadows as he destroyed every bot that lay in his path, or up onto one of the towers where he could look out at the world that he had cut himself off for so long. In the first few weeks those days had been more frequent, especially when he was faced with the cautious welcome and poorly concealed suspicions of the other agents and as much as he had hated taking a backseat Genji had waited and watched from a distance, knowing that Hanzo needed to do this himself.

    It hadn’t been easy. Hanzo had never been the most social of people, although he had tried when they were younger, and Genji had always known that it was more for his sake rather than any real enjoyment. Which was why he had been startled a few months down the road to realise that Hanzo was making friends amongst the team. He would find his brother talking with Hana, showing interest in her streams and gaming although the lost expression on his face told him that Hanzo understood little of what she was showing him, he would find him helping Mei set up her laboratory and trading language lessons with her as they worked, or sharing battle stories with Reinhardt who had welcomed him at once.

   The strangest had been the realisation that his brother was spending long hours with McCree, especially when the gunslinger had been one of the most cautious when he’d first arrived. In the beginning to had started with a less than friendly competition, both rightfully proud of their skill and Genji could still remember Winston bemoaning the number of bots they’d gone through that day. It had ended in a draw that day, which had seen McCree extending an invitation for a rematch at a later date and it had snowballed from there. Nowadays it was more common to find Hanzo in the practice range with McCree than hiding out on the communication tower, although he had caught them both up there more than once, chortling to himself as he listened to them bickering over beer and sake.

   It had been about a month ago that he had realised that those friendly matches and conversations had spiralled into something more, catching Hanzo doing the walk of shame out of McCree’s room one morning. He hadn’t teased him…much…delighted to realise that his tentative hope that bringing Hanzo into Overwatch would set his brother on a new path had borne more fruit than he had ever thought possible, and naively he had hoped that this meant that they could both move forward, that the past was behind them although he knew that Hanzo would take a little longer to accept that he had been forgiven for what had happened in the past.

He had been wrong.

**

    However, it hadn’t been their relationship or his brother’s blossoming relationship with McCree that was the cause of his worry. No, the cause of his concern lay with the Dragon, or rather the lack of them. It had taken him a few missions to notice it, after all they were both cautious about how often they used the Dragons, it was something that had been drilled into them from a young age and there was nothing like having your body giving way beneath you from overuse to drive the message home. There had been more than one occasion when he was still learning the limitations of his new body when he had forgotten that, and McCree and Reyes had been forced to haul his ass to safety. And so, when a few missions passed with no sign of Hanzo’s Dragons he hadn’t thought anything of it, there had been a few dicey moments but nothing that had particularly required that much force.

    But the months had stretched on without any sign of the Dragons, and when he’d quietly pulled McCree to one side the gunslinger confirmed that they hadn’t appeared in their other form either. That was when he began to worry…

   Then a mission had gone wrong. They had been outnumbered and outmanoeuvred and Genji had already been forced to call on his own Dragon just to buy them enough room to retreat to a warehouse, the effort leaving him leaning wearily against the wall watching as Zenyatta did what he could to tend to their injuries, cursing the fact Angela had been called away for a medical conference as he watched Hanzo hovering next to a bloodied McCree. His brother’s expression had been more open than he had ever seen it, the worry visible to the world and it had warmed him to see McCree reassuring him, reaching out to clasp Hanzo’s arm, his brother leaning into the touch for a moment before straightening and looking around at the exhausted team, his gaze lingering on Genji for a moment.

“I will clear a path for us,” he murmured quietly, shaking his head at McCree when the gunslinger opened his mouth to protest and Genji scowled. He didn’t like the idea either, but they were all exhausted and Hanzo still had the Dragons to call on, out of all of them he had the best chance of creating an opening for them to escape. It didn’t make it easier to bear, but the way his legs trembled, vents working overtime when he straightened he knew that there was little choice. “I trust that we are retreating?” Hanzo asked glancing across at Fareeha who had been given command for this mission, and she scowled before sighing and nodding after glancing at the makeshift bandage around her own arm and then at the others.

“Hanzo…”

“I will be safe,” Hanzo murmured, leaning down to press give McCree a quick kiss and Genji had a moment of amusement at the sight of his brother’s ears turning red, knowing how rare it was for Hanzo to allow public displays of affection. Apparently, that had been part of his strategy, because he had slipped away whilst McCree was still looking surprised and Genji had a feeling that his brother would be getting an earful from his partner later. Shaking his head and wondering if he needed to have a talk with his brother about relationships and how to act in them he checked his weapons, knowing that they would need to be ready, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling prickling just beneath his skin. Hanzo had dealt with worse, he would be fine.

   It was only later that he realised that he had been waiting for the roar of the Dragons. At the time, he had been more focused with how the minutes had ticked by without any word from his brother, not helped by the fact that McCree had started to pace despite Zenyatta asking him not to, or by Fareeha hopping anxiously from foot to foot and constantly rechecking her guns.

   He had just been about to go after Hanzo, feeling steadier than he had before although it would still be sometime before he could call his Dragon again when the communicators crackled to life, Hanzo’s voice, barely audible and sounding worryingly strained ordering them to move. They hadn’t needed any more urging and Genji had taken that as a reassuring sign that his brother was a fully trusted member now, flitting after the others as they left the warehouse and coming up short as he spied the agents lying on the ground. Agents who had been taken down by arrows he realised, eyeing the familiar fletching with a frown as he realised just how many Hanzo had taken down. Why didn’t he use the Dragons? There was no time to worry about it now, and he fell in as they moved as quickly as they could back towards they had left the plane.

   Hanzo’s continued absence and the lack of any further contact was worrying him, but when they rounded the corner to reach the plane it was to find him grappling furiously with a Talon agent, his bow lying several feet away. It was clear that he didn’t have the upper hand, and Genji leapt forward before he’d even thought about what he was doing but he had barely made it two steps before there was a deafening shot from beside him, the agent falling in a crumpled heap even as he turned to glance at McCree who’d come up alongside him.

“Thank you…” McCree waved off the thanks as he moved across to Hanzo who was doubled over, breathing heavily and rubbing at his neck and Genji trailed after him, stopping to pick up Stormbow before it could be left behind, only to come up short when he reached them and caught a good look at his brother.

“Hanzo…” His brother was a mess, covered in cuts, bruises and dirt and just as McCree reached him he staggered and would have fallen if McCree hadn’t caught him, immediately wrapping a supportive arm around his shoulders. “What happened?”

 “I underestimated the enemy.” It’s not quite a lie, but not quite the truth either and he frowns, sharing a brief glance with McCree.

“Couldn’t you just use the Dragons?” McCree might never have seen Hanzo’s Dragons in action, but he had heard enough about them from Genji to have some idea of what they are capable of and he’s fought alongside Genji often enough to be familiar with his. Genji winced slightly at the direct method, but he can’t deny that he wants the answer too, especially when Hanzo flinches at the question and seems to curl closer to his partner even as he shakes his head.

“Not this time.”

   Genji wasn’t happy with that answer and from the look of it neither is McCree, but there is no time to press the issue because Fareeha was beckoning them onto the plane. “We’ll talk about this later,” he settles for muttering, handing over the bow when Hanzo holds out his hand before moving past them, sure that he hears his brother mutter something as he goes but when he glances back it is to find Hanzo allowing McCree to help him towards the plane.

**

   The flight home had been thankfully uneventful and in the safety of the plane Zenyatta had managed to finish healing all but the most minor bruises, and when Genji checks an hour in its to find Hanzo and McCree curled together in the back seats. Even though he still wants answers he can’t bring himself to disturb them, especially when Hanzo looks so peaceful, his fingers loosely entwined with McCree’s and so he settles for finding his phone in his bag and taking a photo of the two of them, knowing that Hana and the others will appreciate seeing it as they are constantly bemoaning how private Hanzo is even when it’s clear that he’s head over heels for McCree. That done he retreats to the cockpit to keep Fareeha company and to try and keep his mind off his worries about the fact that Hanzo hadn’t used his Dragons…again…and this time on a mission where they had needed them.

   He doesn’t quite manage it, and as soon as they land he’s out of the cockpit and chasing after his brother who had apparently realised that he wasn’t going to wait to have this conversation and had tried to slip away, even to the point of leaving behind McCree who was still stirring from his nap.

“Hanzo!” He called, growling under his breath when he realised that Hanzo had no intention of stopping and immediately darting forward, glad for his speed as he manged to land in front of his brother, bringing the archer up short and reaching for him. He’s unsurprised although hurt when Hanzo recoils slightly, but he lets him go in the hopes that it will make him more likely to answer his questions. “What happened back there? Why didn’t you use the Dragons?” There was no way for him to miss the fearful expression that passed over his brother’s face or the way he had flinched at the mention of the Dragon’s and his eyes narrowed. “Hanzo, talk…”

“It is nothing,” Hanzo replied, brushing past him and Genji was about to lunge forward and grab him when he saw how his brother was gripping his arm, knuckles turning white with the force of his grip and he faltered. _Hanzo, what are you hiding?_ He had studied the tattoo during the flight home, apart from the odd scar here and there from a lifetime of fighting it was unblemished and the marks weren’t enough to have affected the Dragons. So, what had stopped him? Had the Dragons abandoned him? Genji shuddered at the thought, there had been a few months when he had first arrived at Blackwatch when his had refused to heed his call, sensing the rage just beneath the surface and knowing that he would regret unleashing it, although he hadn’t been able to understand it at the time, feeling as though he had been abandoned and betrayed yet again. It wasn’t a feeling that he would wish on anyone, least of all his brother and yet…he didn’t understand…the Dragons had always loved Hanzo.

   He had been too young to remember the events himself, but it had become a favourite bedtime story especially when he had been old enough to realise that he didn’t have his Dragon yet, and Hanzo had whispered the story to him, promising him that his time would come.

_His brother had been the tender age of five when he had roused the entire household in the middle of the night, writing and screaming as the Dragons claimed him, marking him for their own with little consideration for his age. He had been the youngest to be marked in known history, and the event had lasted for days, their father abandoning his usual cold indifference to hold Hanzo as he shivered and sobbed, his voice gone after hours of screaming, unable to do anything but cling to their father as the tattoo was etched into his skin, inch by painstaking inch. The long nights had been spent with their father murmuring to him, his usually cold, cutting voice softened to a warm murmur as he told Hanzo the legends of the Dragons, and although it had done little to alleviate the pain Hanzo had soaked up the words._

   _It had been nearly a week later that the Elders had finally announced that the marking was complete, the complex pattern of blue and gold stretching the length of his arm and curling up to his shoulder. Hanzo had been left exhausted, rung out and voiceless, staring at them with blank eyes when they had demanded to his Dragons, not quite comprehending what they wanted and even his father’s demands had gone unanswered._

_In the end Genji had been the first one to see Hanzo’s Dragons. The two of them had been left to play in their bedroom, Hanzo resting on a pile of cushions, his arm cradled protectively against his chest when their current caretaker had asked him to keep an eye on Genji whilst she went to get her lunch and Hanzo had obeyed. He had rolled onto his side, watching over Genji as he toddled around, exploring and discarding one toy after another. It had only been when he had seen Genji heading for the door with a determined expression that he had moved, even then Genji had been a troublemaker, and there was too much mischief that he could cause just wandering about._

_“Genji!” It had been the first time he had spoken in days and the sudden sound had been enough to get Genji to pause and turn back to look at him, grinning toothily as he had been less than happy with the distance that had sprung up between them in the wake of Hanzo’s marking. However, even that much had left Hanzo wincing and he hadn’t dared to say anything else, panicking when he saw Genji’s expression fall, the toddler turning as though to resume his escape._

   _Not knowing what he was doing Hanzo had lunged forward, reaching out with his marked arm and crying out in fear when the tattoo blazed blue, his cry scaring Genji who had begun to wail, fat tears leaking down his cheeks. There had been a pause and then a ticklish sensation and Hanzo had fallen silent, watching wide-eyed as the Dragons had emerged from under his skin, barely bigger than kittens they had slid across his arm, butting at him playfully before slinking down to the ground and darting across to Genji._

_Genji had noticed them immediately, trailing off mid sob as he stared wide-eyed at the creatures, blinking back tears as he glanced between them and Hanzo in question. Stunned Hanzo had only been able to nod, not sure what was happening and slowly sinking to the ground, the tattoo on his arm feeling strangely cool to the touch as he watched the Dragons curling around Genji, rubbing against him and purring when Genji reached out to pet them clumsily. What was stranger was that he had been able to feel it, feeling the felt warm fingers as though they were running over his own skin, could feel how nice it felt and he had blinked, realising that his vision was wavering until he had been half seeing them and half seeing himself, his eyes stinging as he felt the affection coming from the tiny creatures as they glanced back at him. Mine. It had been the first time he had realised that the Dragons were really alive, that they could think for themselves and that they had chosen him._

   _When their caretaker had returned, it was to find both of them playing with the Dragons, Hanzo’s voice still little more than a whisper, but he had been talking to Genji and laughing as he promised his brother that one day he would have his own Dragon too._

   That had been the day that his brother had been acknowledged as the next heir of the clan, and the first time that their father had publicly declared his pride in either of his sons. The Dragons had always been there for Hanzo after that and Genji had lost track of the number of times that he had walked in on his brother playing with the little creatures, especially when things began piling up on him. At the time, it had hurt to realise that his brother was willing to confide in the Dragons, but not in him, but later he had just been glad that Hanzo had someone that was there for him at all times. So, what could have happened to change that? After all, Hanzo had still had them when they had faced down in Hanamura months ago, so even the fight between them hadn’t been enough to drive a wedge between Hanzo and his Dragons…so what the hell could’ve done what that horrific night hadn’t?

_Hanzo, what are you hiding?_

***

   It had been two months since that mission and in all that time Hanzo had come no closer to summoning his Dragons, or to explaining why and that was despite Genji and a somewhat hesitant McCree pressing him for answers. Instead all their questioning seemed to have done was make Hanzo retreat, the walls that he had abandoned slowly rising again and it became more common to see him lurking on the communications tower again, only now Genji would see him sat there cradling his arm and looking as though he might fall apart at any moment. It was why he had been unsurprised when McCree had declared that he was going to drop the issue for now in favour of stopping Hanzo slipping any further away, and to be honest Genji had considered doing the same, reluctant to risk the relationship they had so painstakingly rebuilt, especially when his brother was still capable of holding his own.

    Slowly he let his questions drop, although he didn’t stop watching and waiting, unable to completely silence his concerns especially when his brother returned battered and bruised from missions where he should have come back unscathed.

   Then had come the day that McCree had come to find him, dragging him off to one side with a worried expression that had immediately had Genji on high alert, willingly letting McCree lead him into one of the side rooms although he did scowl when the other man asked Athena to raise a privacy field around them.

“What is it?”

“I…I saw something this morning,” McCree began hesitantly, clearly reluctant to speak even with the soft blue glow of the field around the room and he hesitated for a moment. “Before your brother woke up, I was awake an…”

“Tell me,” Genji ordered, pleased that McCree who had always been rather too open about his pursuits when they were younger was trying to defend his brother’s privacy, but that was overridden by his concern as he saw the worry and glint of fear in the tawny eyes that flickered towards him for a moment before he ran a hand through his hair, knocking his hat to the side before he sighed.

“I was tracing his tattoo,” McCree murmured. “But…I found scales.”

“Scales?”

“Instead of skin,” McCree replied after a moment, before holding his hands together and making a smallish shape as he continued. “It was only a small patch, but they were definitely there, all blue and green and shimmering.” He stared at his hands for a moment before dropping them and looking at Genji, this time making no effort to hide his worry. “He woke up then and I didn’t say anything about seeing them, but he was holding his hand when he left…and he looked defeated, as though he’s waiting for the world to come crashing down on him.”

   _Scales?_ Genji’s mind was racing, part of him wanting nothing more than to go haring after his brother and demand answers now that he had proof that something was going on. The other part was frantically wracking his mind, trying to summon up everything he knew about the Dragons, about his family. Information that he had spent years trying to forget, trying to distance him from even though he had never tried to escape his own Dragon and he frowned, something tickling the edge of his thoughts.

“Genji?” He had forgotten that he had his mask up, allowing McCree a clear view of the emotions and thoughts playing across his face. He had always been too open, it was something that Hanzo and the Elders had constantly scolded him for and he sighed, for once wishing that he had listened as he heard the open worry in McCree’s voice. “What is it?”

“I…” He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, or how much he should say, and McCree glared at him, moving towards him with a fierce expression.

“Don’t lie to me.” It was an order, and Genji bristled for a moment about to point out that this was his brother and their family history, but then McCree took a shuddering breath and backed off slightly, his expression crumpling. “I’m worried about him Genji. It feels like he’s slipping away from me even when he’s right there in my arms, and if you have any idea why, please…”

“I don’t know for certain,” Genji cautioned, knowing that there was no way he could push McCree away after those words and he only hoped that Hanzo realised just how much this man cared for him. “There were tales, old myths that were handed down that spoke of Shimadas being consumed by their own Dragons.” He hadn’t thought about the stories for years and his memories were hazy at best and he cursed himself for not paying attention at the time, but then again it had been one of the less important stories, something to make them aware of what could happen if they didn’t honour the Dragons.

“Myths?”

“That was what we were told…” Genji muttered, trying desperately to recall more details before shaking his head helplessly. “I don’t remember them all.” _I should’ve paid more attention_ ….

“But, you think that might be what’s happening with Hanzo?” McCree demanded, his previous worry morphing into full blown fear and Genji sighed.

“I…” He didn’t want to increase McCree’s fear, especially without evidence or more information, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to discredit the idea after the last few months and so he hedged with a muttered. “Maybe.” But why? As much as both he and Hanzo had turned their backs on the Shimada clan, they still honoured the Dragons and nothing he had seen from his brother would suggest any different. So why was he being punished? Was it over what had happened all those years ago? Were they only now punishing him now that they had seen what had become of Genji?

“I’m going to find him.”

“Jesse…”

“Do you really want him to be alone if this is happening?” McCree demanded and Genji shook his head, of course he didn’t, his only worry was what his brother would do if he lashed out and hurt McCree, but he knew the gunslinger well enough to recognise the expression that he was wearing. He wasn’t going to be shifted and after a moment he nodded, although not without cautioning him, hating himself for his words. “Just be careful.” McCree didn’t look any happier than he felt, but he didn’t argue, barking at Athena to remove the field and hurrying from the room. Genji hesitated for a moment before following, only his destination was Winston’s office and all the files they had recovered from the Old Overwatch…and Blackwatch, praying that somewhere in there would be some information that he could use to help his brother.

_Hanzo, please let us help you…._


End file.
